My day with a Monsta......

PROLOGUE AND RAMBLES:

Being a perfectionist and knowing that there is not just one road to reach perfection, I tend to look to the "little guys" a lot for new ideas and better products. The reason is because sometimes we just get caught up in the money, fame, and flash of the big guys.  They spend millions upon millions each year to research not only performance, but what people want to look at.  It's called "rack appeal" and it happens all the time with clubs. Not so much with balls, however - well- outside of the packaging that is. A flashy box always helps, but what's inside is a little white sphere with dimples that has the unfortunate purpose of being smashed as hard as possible with a heavy piece of metal - repeatedly - until it's discarded or lost. The former - smashing as hard as possible - is what makes us want a premium performance ball.  The latter is what makes us not want to pay a premium for it.  Enter the "little guy".   This time around, it's MonstaGolf.  

From their site: 

  ""Monsta Golf started as an idea back in the spring of 2013 by 2 working dads from Boston who love the game of golf.  Dave and Ken, the founders of Monsta Golf, realize(like most of us) the key to an exceptional golf game is consistency and the short game.  Money is in the short game, as we all know.  Using the same golf ball while honing your skills is an important factor in being consistent.  Almost every brand of golf ball performs differently, especially around the greens. This causes variations in accuracy and performance. Some golf balls are for distance, some for spin.  The top performing brands currently on the market that are constructed to do both,  retail for $48/dozen or more.  Golf can be expensive enough!

“We need to create a pro performance golf ball that’s  affordable,  so it can be used every round you play.  Allowing  the development of  a more consistant game and control around the greens.  In addition,  we don’t want to cringe every time we lose a $4-$5 ball in the woods.” (Yes, this will probably happen no matter what ball you use!)

FAST FORWARD A YEAR LATER AND MONSTA GOLF IS BORN."

I couldn't have said it better myself --- so I copied and pasted. Hey, I've got things to do, clubs to build and cigars to smoke. I digress....

MonstaGolf intriqued me from the get-go. I saw them on twitter (@monstagolf) and followed them to Facebook (facebook.com/monstagolf) and stalked their feed reading all the stuff people were saying about them. I got on some of my own forums and asked around if anybody had tried them.  The people who had couldn't say enough about them. There were even people who said they had tried them and though they're not the go-to ball, are still using them on occasion. That tells me there's got to be something to them. 

About me:  If you've been following the blog - few and far between as it sometimes is (hey I'm busy!!!) you know that I'm a decent player. I'm currently playing off 3.7 (GHIN#2111361) and I get out maybe once per week.  I've been playing a LONG time and I'm pretty sure I'm one of a handful of people under 45 who have actually used persimmon clubs in a tournament because that was still the only technology out there.  So, I know something about feel and the like, on top of being a club builder.  My current ball bobbles between a ProV1 and the Callaway SR3 (what's left of them).  They're both pretty comparable for me but I tend to play the ProV1 on drier days since I do get a little more spin on the greens, and the Callaway flies longer so I get more carry in normal to wet conditions. Both retail around $45 for the dozen and have very soft covers so you can imagine that I'm always looking to save a few bucks. 

THE REVIEW - AS COMPARED TO MY PROV1:   If you want the hard facts just go to the end. If not, hang on for the story. For the record, I paid for these balls and the only reason I'm doing a review is because I like to do them. My style is putting you in a story setting and allowing you to follow me and the way I play.  Real life is the only way to test, in my opinion. Talk it out- nitpick - whatever. If you want numbers, there's like 20 other sites that have compression and yardage numbers you can pick at. 

oooooh Shiny.

So anyway.....

I pulled the trigger on MonstaGolf balls just this week. Out of Massachusetts they got here to PA in 2 days via USPS. Free shipping as well. Great start for those of us who don't like to pay shipping that's a big one. I opted for the "naked" dozen. No packaging. You can call me green, but the difference between $32.99 and $34.99 is enough to prompt me to skip the shiny black box and Green Monsta eye.  If you like to think I did it solely for the environment, please do.

As I opened them, I was really impressed. Very nice cover which had that "sticky ball" feel to it. (Insert joke about sticky balls here) It was pleasing to look at with the big green logo and single number. Very clean and minimalistic.  The aim stripe is just two arrows with MonstaGolf written in. Very easy to line up for putting or tee ball. Not too long and not short like some other balls. I took to putting right away putting it right up against a proV1 and a ProV1x that I had. Both brand new - hey we gotta be fair. 

Immediately I could feel that the MonstaGolf was soft. Super soft. I use an all metal putter with no insert so I felt everything. Dead heat with the ProV1, softer than V1X. I liked it. I even did a blind test where I closed my eyes and had a friend put them down in front of my putter to strike. I picked out the same two balls but couldn't tell which was which.  

Since it was still evening and I didn't tee off until the next day, I decided for the "wedge bounce test". You know, the old Tiger Woods juggle it off the blade and then between the legs - just without the 200 yard rocket at the end. Here's where the balls started to differ.  The MonstaGolf felt soft. Almost TOO soft, but it wasn't a disgusting marshmallow feel. I could feel the ball but it had a hint of a "thud". The PV1 was soft but more "crisp".  In non-golf terms and assuming you've eaten both of these, it was the difference between biting a Red Delicious apple and a Mcintosh.  The red delicious has a softer bite but still good and hearty - where as the Mc is a touch more snappy.  At this point, it didn't bother me but it's worth noting if you're a player that likes a harder feeling ball like a TopFlite Gamer or the like.   Seeing as how they both have urethane covers, I believe the MonstaGolf is thicker in this regard. I'll explain later.....

LOL - googly eyes

Flash forward to my round. Dauphin Highlands Golf Course.  We're playing the whites (myself, Cigar Joe , and a friend Dave). On the putting green I put 2 balls down and putted. Drained them both from 10 feet. Was it the ball or was it me, dunno, but I did have confidence looking down and reading "MonstaGolf"with those heavy black arrows saying - this way to the hole.   Pre-round I also chipped in 4 times out of 10. The balls grabbed the green like velcro - no exaggeration - even on the little chips so I had to hit my chips to carry a little farther than normal because they weren't running out as much as with the PV1 but it was consistent so once I got used to it things were no problem. MGB gets the square here because more spin around the green is always a plus in my book. 

On the tee,  I set it up so I was looking right into that green eye. It was a great focus point and since it was like a smaller ball I felt it was the literal interpretation of "aim small, miss small".  I didn't miss. My first drive was a touch on the toe and fading but SkyCaddy measured it at 317yds. I'll take that.  There was very little side spin when I KNOW there should have been more. Instead of the right rough just off the fairway I SHOULD have been by the cart path 10 yards farther right. Intriguing. 

2nd shot was a 58* wedge to a tucked pin. I was so stoked for the drive that I plopped it in the bunker short. Perfect to test the sand capabilities and durability. If anything destroys a Urethane cover it's a sand trap. I played a perfect splash from 30 feet to  settle 3 feet from the pin.  One hop and stop.  Ball completely in tact. 

Initial look after the long bunker shot.
Sand still lodged in. 

2nd hole it performed very well off the tee again, although i skunked the shot and ended up in the bunker about 60 yards in front of the green on the fly (drivable par 4- 270 yards).  You'd think I was doing it on purpose to test a ball or something.  I used a 54* wedge to play the long bunker shot into the green. I hit it to roughly 12 feet but upon picking up the ball I noticed it had a large grain of sand lodged in the cover.  I expected this out of the first bunker but my thoughts are that the resilient thick cover provides nice cushion against this sort of thing where normally the thin cover of the PV1 nicks or gets some sand burn. A harder swing was enough to embed the sand though. I was able to dig it out and remove the piece of cover that was torn and play on.  Through the next holes the ball performed EXACTLY as it had the first two. I even put a new ball in play just as a for-instance but saw no flight issues due to the deep puncture in the cover. 

A few holes after I removed the "scab" cover and
dug out the grit piece.

Iron feel is solid and regarding the "thunk" of the wedge bounce test - that wasn't really an issue once you actually were swinging at the ball. Chips felt good, like the ball was compressing well and it JUMPS off of irons. I really felt like I had compression on the face and got very good flight out of it. No ballooning, but still retaining the pretty wicked spin I experienced at the chipping green throughout all the irons. I guess theres' something to that 3 piece construction and high energy core they talk about. 

Here's where the review gets short because I've told you all I can about the performance of the ball. The reason being it was so consistent. It was consistent with itself from brand new until the last shot, and it was consistent with the ProV1 that I'm very used to with the difference being more spin from the MGB on the little chip shots. I would go so far as to say it's a little difficult to get it to run out with a lofted club - but I'm not going to complain about that. 

I think the one thing I can say I honestly DISLIKE about the MonstaGolf ball is it's visual durability in relation to other premium golf balls. I think this is where it loses the race.  The ball gets dingy. Like REALLY dingy.  When I play a full round with a golf ball, it gets battered and the like but when I wash it, generally it gets clean.  Over the course of the round, the ball got to LOOKING chewed up. it was still very much playable and very much performing perfectly but it really started to kind of look like a monster. If I could equate it to something, maybe like a refurbished ball that was hit too many times and the paint started to come off the raised areas?  Even while we were looking for the balls and rolling up to it in the cart, I had no problem identifying mine because that shine was lost. I don't know if I'm OK with that or not because they really look USED after one round, whereas I can get 2, sometimes 3 out of the same ball otherwise.  Believe me, I'm still going to play it again, but it's a peeve, maybe even a deal breaker for some people. Even my buddy Dave said "that thing looks awful". 

18 holes, 1 ball. The "reconditioned ball" scabs I
was referencing. All over.  Are these balls painted?

FINAL TALLY: 

Overall performance:  It is my opinion that MonstaGolf balls perform on par with a premium golf ball. In this case the ProV1 (grey stripe).  MonstaGolf has  a little more spin for me around the greens and is sometimes difficult to release to the hole - which may be an issue for some golfers if they like to chip and run. You might need a lower lofted club to play some of your normal shots. There was no drop in performance throughout the entire round despite the blemishing. 

Look:  Awesome minimalist logo design and a nice focal point for the tee ball.  Alignment aid isn't obnoxious and does the job in lining up putts or tee balls if you prefer that. One additional thing I feel the need to mention is that there is no all white area on this ball. From every angle you will see either the aim mark, the number, or a good portion of the green eye. I don't mind because you can immediately identify it even in the rough, but some people do like that one area where you look down and see white ball. 

Durability: I feel the ball could be more durable over the course of the round. The fact that it can take a hit like a large piece of sand from a bunker and not make a big gouge out of the cover or begin peeling of after being hit a few times in that wound is great, but If I'm not bouncing it off cart paths or trees, I want to have a Grade A used ball at the end of the round, not a C+ at best. 

Price:  This can go either way. I like that the ball continues to perform despite the dingy, rashed look but players who do mind that will have to put a new ball in play more often than they would another premium performance ball. That being said, is the $13 savings a wash because of the frequency of replacement?? I don't know.  I'll continue to play the ball until it seriously falls apart or I notice a decrease in playability. 

Bottom line: It's a great ball for the price performance wise. It could be a FANTASTIC ball for the price if they can sort out that cleanliness/ visible durability issue. I'm glad I made the purchase and will be playing these balls until I lose them. A dozen will usually last me a good 1/2 season counting cart paths and whatnot. I wish I would have hit one to see how it took it but damnit I'm not good enough to hit that kind of target! 

If anybody wonders, I shot 76.  Made the turn in Even and pulled a BUNCH of putts on the back. Grr. 

Let's talk Cigars again - What to look for?

If you're like me, you enjoy a little golf with your cigars and beer. For me Golf definitely comes first and is thoroughly enjoyable but it can be ruined by bad periphery.  Sub-par is not good with cigars - especially when you shell out a premium price to get it! I could have a sleeve of ProV1's for that price!  So how do you protect yourself if you're not a cigar connoisseur? There are a couple things that can tell you quickly wether that cigar is worth shelling out the money:

1. Ask where they get their cigars:  If the cigars are stocked by a local shop odds are they're going to be good. Cigar store owners take pride in their product. Regardless of the manufacturer, the product is what sets shops apart from each other.  Likewise, if the course buys from an online store or from another "dealer" you might be looking at cigars that have been beaten or shocked in shipment if they weren't packaged and humidified properly in the process.

2.  Make sure they're not dry:  So you've asked and are satisfied with the answer. That doesn't mean they're being taken care of still... Just as important as good tobacco is the care taken as they're stored. Make sure the hygrometer is working and in a good range.  70-75% humidity is optimal for cigars. If in doubt, ask to see a stick and give it a GENTLE squeeze. You SHOULDN'T hear a crack and it SHOULD have just a little give. If it feels hard, or super spongy, something is wrong and you'll either be fighting to keep it lit, or having the wrapper come off in your hand while you smoke. Neither of those is enjoyable.

3. For once, the name is useful:  I always say that nam doesn't matter in golf clubs. That's because you have the chance to hit them and compare. When you're making a snap decision about cigars or booze it's best to stay with what you know - especially when price is an issue. Names like Rocky Patel, Perdomo, Montecristo, Oliva & Drew Estate are big in the cigar world. They're big names and have a deep line of great cigars all.  If these names are a staple in the cabinet, then you're looking at a decent stick whatever you pick - assuming they're stored properly.


It seems tedious, but it takes all of 30 seconds to find out if your enjoyment is guaranteed. If you're going to drop a premium price for cigars, be sure you're going to get a good cigar.

Locally, I'm a fan of the cigars at:  Four Seasons, Landisville ;  Crossgates Golf Course, Millersville ;  and Meadia Heights, Lancaster.   If you're there, you won't have to go through this, but take your time and make sure you get something that will enhance your round and not cause you distraction.

enjoy and hit em straight!

Cigar Review: Insidious by asylum

I opened my locker at D&S this past wednesday and found this little gem waiting for me. It's good to have a locker there since they give you a monthly new arrival as a courtesy. As it so happened this month's stick is the Insidious by Asylum - a handmade cigar with a slightly sweet tip. I gave a good sniff and a light squeeze and was met with a very mild tobacco aroma. Just a good whiff of humidified Ecuador Connecticut wrapper and Honduran binder and filler.  Though it's a sweet tip, you'll be pleased to know that there was no "sweet smell" that comes with things like mocha and mint and other sweet tobacco products. I don't like that sugary smell, I like to enjoy my cigar for it's aroma so it's a very important part of my pre-light routine.

This day's meal is a 5x50 so I chose to go with a punch, even though it's a lighter cigar. The size didn't really matter to me, but I just didn't feel like a cut today.  Carefully wielding my 3 flame RP lighter, I lit outside to in and took a deep puff. 

The smoke is light, but full. I don't get much out of it as far as flavors, but nobody's perfect.  Other reviews and resellers have "nuts, earth, and hints of pepper". I guess I'll buy that but there's not an excess of any one over the others.  I definitely didn't get ANY pepper. Moreover, the tip was highly enjoyable, though. It's not super sweet like a lot of sweet ends and it didn't ruin my scotch either so that's a definite plus. 

Overall, it was a very even and clean burn with no flare up. She retained a smooth draw and steady flavor all the way through to the end. No changes, no surprises, just pure relaxation. Normally I can get a good two inches out of long filler before I have to ash, but the Insidious couldn't handle that. Somewhere a little over an inch I shifted my hand after taking the photo on the right and the ash fell off. Hey at least it wasn't on my pants. 

Normally a 5x50 takes me a while to smoke. Compared to my average, the Insidious was right on time. At one our and 30 minutes I started to heat up my fingers so I had to bail out. I didn't want to part with my friend because it WAS so enjoyable, so I do believe I'm going to pick up a few for my private stock in a larger ring. From this average joe's perspective, the Insidious by Asylum is an absolutely delicious and just plain enjoyable experience.  In my opinion, it's a great cigar for beginners and seasoned smokers alike.

Cigar Review: Gurkha Centurion - Double Perfecto 6x60

It's been a while since I've had a new cigar. I stay to my old standbys for the course and the celebration after lately - what with my new business venture starting up. This weekend, my Uncle Todd treated me to a new cigar that I haven't had before. The Gurkha Centurion. Double Perfecto roll. Dark natural connecticut wrapper. Cameroon Binder and Cuban-seed Dominican Ligero filler. Gurkha is touted as the peak of cigars lately. I respectfully disagree though they do have a number of blends that I absolutely love and will drive an hour to get. This particular blend is reported to be so exclusive that previously the only customer was the Sultan of Brunei. Yea whatever....le grand cigar, right bender?

Todd keeps his cigars well. Better than me, in fact. The first thing I noticed about this smoke is that it was a very loose roll. While it was very well made and perfectly rolled, it just was soft under my fingers and with a heavy taper, that makes it a little difficult for me to smoke. I've had some great cigars that were packed tight and still had a smooth draw and also had some loose smokes that couldn't give a vacuum cleaner a puff, so you could guess my apprehension. Still a free cigar is a free cigar!

A good sniff brought a nice aroma of tobacco, leather, and just a hint of spice. Bold aroma and a nice color to the cigar itself. It was really such a nice smell that I didn't want to light it - but hey, if I must. My 3 flame RP torch did the job perfectly. Smooth draw, thick smoke. True to the previous aroma, full flavors of leather and a touch of spice. Surprisingly most shops have this labeled as a medium cigar. I would lean that toward full/ bold but it's still in the middle of the two. The taste was really nice, if not with a soft mouthfeel, and then - what can only be described as the most awful smell I've ever experienced.  Sorry Gurkha, but seriously something just wasn't right here. Generally I love the smell of cigars, even the ones that I don't like to smoke, but this was something altogether different and just plain out of this world. Perhaps it was the strength of the leaves or something in the filler - I couldn't really say, but "pungent" is not even close to the word I would use to describe it. If you could imagine lighting a leather couch on fire and putting it out with dirt and hair, that was about the smell of this cigar. It was pleasing for the first fraction of a second but became so full and filled the nostrils so fast that it made it unenjoyable. Even Todd looked at me and said "well that's not the best smell is it? Damn it tastes good though".

I concur whole-heartedly.  At a price point of about $13 per cigar, it's worth it for the flavor, but smoke these things outside, in a breeze, and stay upwind. Overall it was about an hour and a half smoke. Really enjoyable smoke and the tip had a nice zing and tang of flavor that complemented well with our drinks. I would do it again in a heartbeat, but definitely not indoors or before I was headed out anywhere. Overall, I give it a solid 8/10.  It's really enjoyable in the flavor department and if you like a tasty smoke without the kick in the face boldness and queasy feeling then it's really a good choice. That smell is really knocking me down though and as someone who has to go home to a wife and likes to get a head-start or finish up a smoke on the drive to and from, it's just not something I care to put up with.... though if you have any laying around that you'd like to send my way, feel free.

Oh squiggly line behind my eye

OK +10 points for a Family Guy reference.

I've been known to talk about the weird and exotic both in cigars and in life.  I'm here before the keyboard now to talk to you about invisible, visual lines - like that weird squiggly line you see sometimes in the corner of your eye floating around.  Oh yes. I went there.  These lines will help your game tremendously... if you can see them and properly use them.  To understand what i'm talking about, you have to first understand a few things about your eyes and your vision. The lingo of the era is High frequency and Low Frequency. See the image below.

Do you see Marilyn or Einstein?  Squint. No who?

The chain link fence mystery

Have you ever looked at a chain link fence from a distance? Perhaps through a camera, or just driving in a car you see one on an overpass?  Did you take notice that from a certain distance, you don't see a chain link fence, but what could be described as striping across the fence?  This is called Moire (moray - like the eel).  It's something that happens because there isn't enough detail captured by your eye for your brain to process each tiny little wire in that fence so it bunches them up into patterns turning normally High frequency information into Low frequency info. It happens a lot of times when people on TV wear thin stripes (When you wear a plaid suit to a video shoot, that's a moire!)  Think of it as trying to paint a detailed masterpiece with only a 2 inch brush. As you get closer to the fence there is more space between the wires and you will start to see the actual shape, making the weird stripes disappear.  In essence, this effect of your vision is a great tool to utilize for "visualizing the target".    Let me explain. 

Just sit and look off at a target.  Tree, flag, sand trap, building, whatever.  If you trace an imaginary line from the target to your feet and sort of "fuzz" your eyes, the texture of the grass links up into low frequency areas and you can actually visually trace a  line almost like it' there in real life. If you concentrate too hard, the line will go away and you'll just see blades of grass again. If you did it right, you're probably like "hey that's pretty cool".  If you didn't you've probably stopped reading already.  Try again, or give up, either way once you see them, you can't unsee them. It'll become second nature. Why is this important? When you do this, your brain will actually continue the line and "save it" for about 3 to 5 seconds the same way if you pass your hand in front of your face at a decent clip you can see and tell what path it took because your optic nerves have a little bit of memory to them. this equates to perfect timing for lining up a golf shot.  While you're over the ball, you can trace the line all the way back through the club and use it to align your feet, clubface, shoulders, hips and anything you want! When i found this out, I nearly dropped deuce.  I looked for these invisible lines in everything I did on the course and found out that the putting green is definitely a candidate as well!!! it's easy to find the lanes in putts if you're looking for them. Look for your break and trace the line with your eyes.

Give it a shot. You might really be surprised and it will take a lot of the guesswork out of your shots. 

1502 Ruby Lancero and Manada Gof Club

I love scrambles. My BOTL Joe M. has been nice enough to keep me posted on some really nice outings and allowed me to be on the team. This week we're out at Manada Golf Club in Grantville, PA.

Getting here isn't a chore. If you know where Hollywood Casino is, you can find Manada in 2 turns. For me it was right up 283 and a left turn. I wound through the back roads and just when I started to wonder if there was anything but trees out here-- BOOM! Manada golf club. At first look, its a really unassuming little course. You enter the lot and it looks more like a bar than a golf course. A large pavilion over on the right with ample picnic table space for outings. Two separate entrances: one for snack shop and one for pro shop. Once you get around to the back of the buildings, however, its all golf course. 

I think what struck me first was the bag drop. Room for 50 bags. I love it. Nothing worse than getting to a bag drop and theres a full rack and nowhere to put the cart bag. Just a sea of bags hanging out, wondering who is next.  Just beyond that theres a beautiful putting and chipping green. With real holes! (Yessssss! *fist pump*) In this golfer's opinion, too many public courses are going to just a stake in the green. When I practice, I want to hear the sound  of the cup and see the ball go in, not say "well that should've dropped I guess" as it bounces off a metal stake. The grass and turf thickness were so nice. Receptive and smoother than a lot of private clubs I've been to, let alone public tracks played for less than $30.  I guess thats one of the reasons Jenn in the snack bar said people refer to this place as "central pa's best kept secret gem". Damn right. I've played a lot of "cheap" courses, but nothing about this place screams cheap except the price. 

I sat down and decided theres time enough for a cigar since I was absurdly early for the shotgun start so I decided its a great time to try the 1502 Ruby Lancero.  I've had the ruby before in robusto, toro, torpedo, and conquistador but was recently introduced to the lancero size by my good friend Shaun at D&S Cigar Lounge - the 2nd 1052 lounge in all of the USA, FYI and the only one in Lancaster,PA or the surrounding area.  For those of you who have not seen this size before, I'll save you the trouble of a google search and refer you to this article by Cigar Aficionado magazine.

On to my relaxation partner....What a great little stick. Well little in some ways. At 7x38 it's long and thin (like a lance, get it?) I thoroughly enjoy the lancero because, in my opinion, it's a completely different smoking experience not just in the size and mouth-feel, but also because of the sheer volume of smoke. I find it also provides a smooth draw without a lot of the problems of thicker cigars,  like canoeing or even going out (for golfers that's a big plus!). It takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your smoking habits.  Your choice in tip preparation is just that - choice. Anything goes, regardless of the tiny diameter. It's difficult, but I went again with my trusted punch, rather than a cut.  I've done straight cut as well as V on these, and one really doesn't work "better" than the other. That's kind of the beauty of this size.

Awww.. so cute, little guy.

This particular 1502R was very nice. No cracks, and just a little give between the fingers. It was wrapped and bound surprisingly well for as long and thin as it was.  I expected some sort of  inconsistency wether it was a soft spot or a super tight area but got neither. A good, thick cap and slightly turned in edges.  I examined it and looked for any cracks or knicks, because it looked like it had been dropped on the end, but upon further research this is something 1502 does purposely. I quickly found out why. She lit fast and evenly, thanks to that same weird foot and low ring size and the draw was everything I imagined it would be from the long chamber. You certainly get the wrapper flavor right away and it's thick and smooth, with just a little woody aftertaste.

I settled in to watch a putting and chipping clinic, given by Ron Jones, PGA pro.  The wind was gusting 20-30 mph at times, so I didn't get a good look at the smoke or a good gauge on the ash. So if you want those, sorry. If you care about those... well.. you've stumbled onto the wrong blog, snob. Oh the perils of outdoor reviewing. Damn you, fresh air!  What I could tell from my greenside perch is that the lancero is every bit as light and creamy as it's brothers. Not super light, mind you, but the notes through the first third of the cigar are more sweet than savory. We know my pallet is not sought after by Cigar Snob, but us average guys will love this stick. If you're into a relaxing cigar full of the "sweet" notes of vanilla, a little chocolate, and oak then go out and get a box. I'm into the tip flavor of my cigars and this one was really mild. No leather twinge or "dirty tobacco" flavor. I think best of all there was no "cigar lip" residue despite the darker wrapper. Huge pet peeve of mine.

(more after the jump)

Cigar Review: 5 Vegas Gold

Recently, I took a pleasure/work trip back to my home town of Easton, Pennsylvania to give a helping hand to my mother. She's moving to a new apartment/house unit and needs a strapping young lad to help out with the bigger boxes. My brother is about useless in this endeavor regardless of him living three minutes away (very literally in fact), so I came up and had a good old time of it. On the way 'round trip my wife and I stopped in at her parents' home and I sat out back with my Father-in-law and Brother-in-Law to have a smoke.  I opened pop's humidor and he gives me a 5 Vegas Gold, Toro. I mentioned it was a nice looking cigar but I'd never had one. He wouldn't let me NOT try it, so off came the cello and out we went to the back porch.

The 5 Vegas website has this to say:

"5 Vegas Gold

Enter the new era in mild-bodied cigars. 5 Vegas Gold Series breaks all barriers, proving a mild-bodied cigar can indeed teem with flavor. A luxurious blend of superior, 5-year-old tobaccos are skillfully combined inside seamless,hand-selected wrappers. Discover 5 Vegas Gold and be instantly charmed by its smooth, creamy, and eventful bouquet."

We all know how much that all means to me, but I thought you might fancy a link. I started my ritual the way I always do - with a little squeeze to see how full and how humid the cigar is and figure out my best plan of attack.  After a moment, I realized that my trusty punch was the way to go and gently bored out the cap. It was here that I noticed the capping was quite extensive. A very thick top of about 3 layers, more than normal, which lent itself to a great punch rather than a cut. In fact, my opinion is to stay away from the cutter on this particular size.
I took a cold draw and a good sniff and did take notice of the nutty, "eventful" bouquet from the listing above.  Not at all like "dirt tobacco" smell, but rather light and airy- almost that heavy aroma with a freshly baked muffin or bread. Not at all harsh, with just a hint of sweetness. If you're a fan of nuts (stop fucking giggling right now..)...As satisfying as it is to eat a handful of good cashews - this cigar lends that same gratification in its aroma.  I almost didn't want to light it - but I did- 'cause fuck it.. it's a cigar.  Using my Rocky Patel 3 torch lighter, I toasted the end and took a good puff.  Much to my surprise, the flavor and draw is exactly what is stated on the manufacturer's website.  A smooth draw, with a light-bodied and creamy smoke though there was not much "eventful" occurrence through the cigar. The long filler held up well and I only dropped ash once- at about 2 inches- but that may have been attributed to the breeze. The flavor stayed just as it initially portrayed itself, all the way up to the last 1.5 - 2 inches. Pepper? Mild, but still a bittery sort of pepper nonsense that hadn't been present at all anywhere else in the cigar. It was a little surprising. In these last couple draws, I can only assume the buildup of oils through the cigar produced a mild pepper aftertaste that - while not unpleasant - didn't really sit will with me since I don't really care for surprise pepper. Especially after the dream that

I had just smoked through! Still, it was not too much of a punch in the face and I was able to effectively quell the issue with some Lexington and power through it handily.  Just be ready for it.  If you don't get it- consider it a bonus and enjoy it thoroughly! Overall I did enjoy the cigar and would definitely make a purchase, if not just for the awesome gold band.

Overall, we're talking about another sub $5 cigar here going toe to toe with your favorite stick. I'm going to pick some up for the foreseeable future and hit the course with a couple to use the band to shoot some light into my competitors' eyes while they're over a putt. I'm seriously digging the box, which looks like a gold bar with trapezoidal sides.


Bottom Line:  A good cigar for a good price. If you're wishy-washy on what you'd like today this is a smart choice. Smooth character, and not the wildest gal at the party but thoroughly enjoyable with good conversation. Keep an eye out for the pepper switch and either put it out before it gets to be too much, or make sure you have a back-up plan to wash down the finish.

Your best golf... on the cheap: Part1

 Last month I blogged about a great cigar for not much money. They're around $2.50 each, depending on the size. I love cheap. Cheap is good. Cheaper is GREAT! The problem with cheap is that it's not very dependable. Quite often, it's inconsistent and in the end it's not really worth what I paid anyway. Thankfully those Casa de Garcias have broken that stereotype. Of course, thinking in these terms, in walks "Custom".  Custom tends to be the opposite of Cheap.  Custom is so nice and perfectly fit to whatever I need.  I paid big money (to me) for a set of custom golf clubs. Length, lie, shaft, grip, weighting and probably most of all -- NAME.

If you've ever bought a golf product, you're paying a lot for the name. A hand towel at Wal-mart is maybe 4 bucks(?) but if you put (insert mainstream golf company here)'s name on that it goes to $20 and sometimes $30.  So i thought "what if I took my specs and built my own clubs for cheap to mimic these big box brand name clubs".  Out comes my personal "Maltby" irons. When you hear the name you may think of Rodger the Golf Channel/ NBC on-course correspondent and, for you older chaps, multiple tournament winner on the PGA tour in the 70s and 80s.  When you READ the name Maltby, it may or may not bring to mind Ralph Maltby the club designer from golfworks.com. Sounds the same, but it's spelled different. (10 points to guess the movie).

Roger Maltbie (no relation)

Ralph Maltby

Ralph used to design clubs for Tommy Armour and is an all around fitting guru.  He developed the MPF or Maltby Playability Factor to rank clubs on how they will perform for different levels of players. With iron head price points at around $30 and shafts at about $10, I can build a set of custom golf clubs to my exact specifications for $300 or less, compared to the $1000 for the brand name clubs. I went ahead and ordered a Malby KE-4 hybrid iron and a Maltby MMB-17 8 iron to see if there was any confirmation to my thought process. Today I got them and decided to do a test against my current Titleist AP2 4 and 8 iron on the range for feel, playability, and general distance.

MMB-17 - 8 iron - 39* - 36.5"
True Temper Command Stiff

Maltby MMB-17

The 8-iron has a really nice look about it. Very "players club" with a chrome nickel plating and satin face area. Thin topline, thin sole. Turf interaction was stellar and it didn't dig as much as I originally thought it would. at 3 degrees of bounce, it actually scooped through the grass nicely! The ball came off cleanly with a much more crisp "click" sound and feel than my AP2 which is more of a muffled "thwack" with a solid but soft feel. I think I like the MMB feedback a little better because I can really tell when I hit it cleanly and when i hit it nearer the toe or heel which for me translates into MORE confidence if I miss a shot. At least I know why I missed it.

The shaft, a True Temper Command R/S flex (trimmed for Stiff), did leave a little bit to be desired. The shaft is designed for control and lower trajectory - and control it did. My shot dispersion was much tighter than my AP2, even on solid hits. I could also work the ball much more easily in both directions as well as up and down. The feel was somewhat looser than the S300 on my current 8 iron.  The Dynamic gold series have the shock absorbing "sensicore" inside. Basically it's a wire with foam wound up it in a spiral pattern. It's placed in the shaft and deadens any vibration coming from the head. I noticed it was missing when I hit one thin, but it wasn't as jarring as some would have me believe. I hit about 2 dozen balls with each and came to the conclusion that the only thing that MAY be missing is the distance factor. I hit my AP2 8 iron about 160.  I don't think I was hitting that all the time with the MMB. Still, I attribute that to the muscle back design. Traditionally, the forgiving zone on the face is only about the size of a dime or nickel whereas the AP2 irons are more like a quarter or half dollar because of the technology. I wanted a muscle back though because of the accuracy and I definitely got that.  When I get it on the course for part 2 and I'm really able to see the distance for myself instead of guestimating based on landmarks, then I'll be able to make a good decision.

Maltby KE4-Tour

KE4-Tour 4 Iron/Hybrid - 23*- 38.5"
Graffaloy ProCustom Stiff flex

The 4 hybrid iron is a very nice club in itself. This configuration beat out my current 4 in terms of feel and playability again. The graphite shaft absorbed the shock much better than the steel shaft even with sensicore (no surprise there really), but what really impressed me is the way the ball catapaulted off the face! Holy cow were my first words after one strike.  The ball flew higher and landed more softly than my current 4 iron for sure yet both have the same characteristics as far as length and swingweight. Judging by the flight, I will go out on a limb and say that the spin rate on the KE4 is much higher than the AP2 - which is exactly what I was looking to get for my long approach shots.  The KE4 has a wider top line and sole but the head is about that of a standard blade with very little offset. It's made to be a cross between iron and hybrid. I'm normally not a fan of "fat irons" but it really worked for my eye in this case and I think the shallow face helped that a lot. Turf interaction from the wider sole was really nice, regardless of the width and I didn't feel it digging in like my 4 iron usually does. I felt like it was much easier to hit than even my current 3-hybrid - which just seems too big to use in the rough or sometimes even from the fairway - so why bother having it? As for the Graffaloy shaft - it performed exactly as spec'd. Very light, stiff flex and high launch. I couldn't ask for much more --- but I did.  I demanded the ball do things that I normally have

trouble doing with my current players clubs. In control, the KE4 with Graffaloy Pro Custom out-performed my AP2 w/ DG S300 smartly.  I was able to work the ball in both directions at will and had an easier time feathering the ball with the KE4 than the AP2. Normally my 4 iron is draw, un-willing fade and big slice as far as shot choices. The Maltby 4 iron actually flew straight and accurate and when I wanted to move the ball, I was able to do so in small increments. 5 yards, 15 yards, feather it just a couple... the shots were there when I wanted them and I didn't feel like it was a "lucky strike" when I pulled them off.  Once again, when I get it on the course for part 2 then I can really say if it's all over better.  One thing I think I definitely dislike about this club is the anodized black finish. I have the same finish on my Taylormade R11, but that's a driver. I don't hit sandy balls that much with it.  With this being a utility iron, it's going to have a lot of turf interaction and that's going to take a toll on the finish, wearing out a hit groove.  After hitting only a few damp range balls it picked up a few marks on the face already. Love that sweetspot though!

Click here to check out Part 2!

Cigar Review: Casa de Garcia Churchill

And So it Begins.....

The first round of the season is always a crapshoot. It's early... what's the weather going to be like... what condition is the course in... and most importantly what does my swing look like after a winter of bourbon and cigars.

My answer is "not too bad" all the way around.  Golf season proper starts April 1st according to the USGA handicap revision schedule.  We had a pretty mild winter up until January and since then all hell has broken loose. The last snowfall came just last week, small as it was, but the lingering effects can still be felt in some areas. There's still a mound of snow about 10 feet tall in the parking lot of our local mall. That being said, the golf courses fared quite well in my opinion.

Four Seasons Golf Course is right down the road from my office, so it offers the most opportune chance at getting the most holes in after work before dark. I'm pretty light on funds these days with some house renovations going on, so I decided to cash in on a free weekday pass that I had won in a scramble last year. I don't really get to play much during the week anyway and when I finally would have time to use it there is a special for $7 (all you can play before dark). I mosey'd over to the course, got my spikes on and took the ever-so-useful two practice swings then went full bore at the ball. Dead pull, not much has changed since last year I reckon.

The course was wet from the rain in the afternoon, but not sopping. There were some drainage issues, but overall there wasn't much issue with club and turf interaction. On the second hole I decided to light up my first cigar - a Casa de Garcia 6.5 x 50. This particular CG is a Dominican blend with a Connecticut Wrapper. I keep my humidor around 68 and this cigar was still in the cello. It had a nice firm feel with a little give under my fingers. Normally I'm a punch man, but for this one I chose a straight cut to maximize the draw being that I was outdoors and there is more chance the cigar will go out on me with the slight breeze and moist conditions so I wanted every puff to be nice and full. In general, I like a slightly more humidified cigar when I'm out golfing since there's a lot of breeze and a good chance I'll be re-lighting once or twice - it keeps the wrapper from getting dry too fast and cracking or unravelling.

 I used my trusty single flame needle lighter and the cigar lit perfectly, no charring.  Oddly enough, some reviewers put this in the 'medium' flavor category and for the first inch or so, I couldn't understand why. First draws were very light in flavor and strength and the draw was a little bit harder than I imagined it would be. I tee'd off and went down the fairway puffing away. A half-inch or so into the smoke is where the light and smoky flavor stopped and the real heart of the stick started to hit me. It was still very light but had earthy notes that were not bitter but still left a lasting flavor for a light cigar.  I set it down on my pull cart a number of times. I averaged 2 or 3 draws between shots on the walk to my ball and found little need to stoke it after hitting a shot despite the conditions.  No, I'm not the kind of guy who keeps smoking when he hits... I take my game as seriously as my cigars. I also take in a lot of the scenery. With the early season comes the post-winter cleanup.  There were piles of tree trimmings everywhere. Don't forget fellow golf-nuts, you get free relief from ground under repair and that includes "material piled for removal".  Two club lengths, no nearer the hole, relief from the nearest point of relief. In this case it would be the nearest edge of the pile.

Material piled for removal off #6 tee box.

Dollar for dollar I thoroughly enjoy this smoke.  Around the 4th hole it really started to get into the "medium" area of flavor country.  That earthy flavor that had been light in the beginning was not really making itself known. I could only describe it as a smooth inhale of fresh sod. Just a nice, heady, thick sort of flavor. When I smoke, I generally keep the tip intact and wouldn't label myself a "chewer" by any means, but after hitting a few bad shots I had worked my way around the tip and got some of that sort of semi-bitter tobacco flavor with each draw and it only enhanced the smoke. I found myself liking it a bit more than I should have and started to chew it a little over putts rather than put it down - it cost me my birdie on #3.

Murray the Penguin approves.

The band had to come off around hole #6 before the tee shot. It was warm, but for whatever reason it didn't want to just flake open like other cigars. Still, I was able to remove it without losing my cool and there was no damage to the wrapper. I was really sad when I hit the Tee box on #8 and had to get rid of the last inch. I just couldn't hold it anymore and it started to get a little too warm on the draw, so off it went. I regret that I didn't bring another to start and for the ride home.

For the first time out this season, I put up a respectable 39 for the 9 holes. No gimmes, no mulligans, just lift clean and place due to every shot getting plugged and muddy. Hey-- it's the first round of the season, I'm not going to kill myself with mud balls just yet. 3-putts abound as normal and I'm shorter than I was last year, but hey "it's early" right?